Black Coffee
by Pipe Fox
Summary: General Mac and Kaori randomness. Or...Kaori on Complementary Provisions, either way...
1. MaChan wa Super Piggy! Dancing! Story!

Black Coffee

            "DO-YOU-SPEAK-ENG-LISH?"  Mac Fraser inquired loudly for perhaps the eighteenth time in a consecutive two minutes, much to the boarder girl's delight.  She giggled brilliantly and continued to skip around her fellow competitor, rambling in incoherent Japanese –something about flying high and being number one, not that he knew.  Mac watched as she waved the card in front of his face, a delicate mixture of annoyance and bewilderment on his face.

            "Hey stop bouncing, would ya?"  She took no heed, and stopped circling him only to dance with her hands waving the air.  Mac flushed –the other boarders stared at him from the corner of their eyes while they checked into the hotel, watching on with either amusement or disapproval.  And this girl, he mentally motioned to her, was deliberately being a Grade A…well, he'd rather not say.  He glared once more.  What kind of psycho manic was this chic anyway?

            "Are you just going to bounce all day-"

            "Hey, Kaori!"  Kaori Nishidake stopped bouncing and swiveled, where the other female snowboard competitors were waving.

            "Girls night out!"  Zoe was hollering, "We need a designated driver!  You game?"

Kaori started to bounce again.

            "Excellento!  Just wait a minute while I change my clothes, okie dokie?"

Mac gaped.  Why that little-

            Her brown eyes took in his funny face –something like Keiichi from Ah!  Megami-sama.  She giggled again, and patted his fuzzy blonde head.

            "Cute kiddo."  She then spun towards the elevator.

            Somewhere, someone laughed.  But it wasn't Mac.  Actually, he was rather cross, primarily at the fact that a five foot nothing, one-hundred pound, one year older than him Japanese girl had said he was a 'cute kiddo'.  _Him_.  He puffed indignantly – calling him that was like entrusting Jurgen with small animals and fine china.

            Mac cast a stray glance where Kaori was spinning, dashing after her in a short second.

            "I'm not a kid."  He was saying as he hurriedly stalked behind her, "And you speak English."  Kaori hit the button, then leaned on its panel.

            "English is required, and yes you are."  The silver elevator doors slid open and she swayed inside, yawning lazily as she waited for Mac to step inside, as though she knew their conversation would take a while.

            "What floor?"  He glanced absently at the card as the door slipped shut.  "Seven- no, nine."  She jabbed the button and waited.

            "And…"  No, he thought mindlessly, he wouldn't let the topic fade.  "What diddily squat of an opinion do you have calling me a kid Miss One-Year-Older-Than-Me?"

            "Didiri squat."  She covered her mouth as she giggled wildly.  Mac glared.  Kaori took a deep breath and calmed herself, giggled madly again, then finally managed to retain her laughter into a bright smile, though she didn't murmur a word.  Mac shifted his weight from one foot to the other, and sighed impatiently –the door slid open, neither stepped out –and Kaori mimicked his expression with a jovial smile.  Then, in a dazzling swing she glided out of the elevator and gleefully marched down the hall.  Mac barely managed to skim out before the elevator doors shut on him.  He jogged to keep up with her exuberant pace.           

            "You never answered my question."  He breathed quickly.  Kaori slowed to a pause, lifting her face towards the white ceilings while she thought.  Then she smiled and asked, 

            "What question?"

            "How can you call me a kid?"  He demanded, though only half irritated, the other half tired from the jogging and jumping to keep up with her previous pace.  Kaori tapped her finger on her chin for a moment.  Then turned to him with a strangely neutral expression.  It lasted, and Mac actually counted, for three and one half seconds before another excited smile exacted itself on her thin lips.

            "Because you are so cute."  Mac opened his mouth to retaliate but she filled the air with giggles, softer than before.

            "You get so angry –it's a com-pli-men-tu."  She circled slowly, her smile fading into a look of gentle inquisition, "I wonder…is your head really so big?"  Her fingers shot out and pinched the sides of his stomach.  Mac yelped and threw his hands in the air, confused not so long as he didn't catch her maniacal laughter trailing down the hall.  And not really knowing why he sprinted madly after her.

            They shot down the hall, the American snowboarder rapidly gaining on his Japanese competitor.  In a final burst of speed, Mac caught up.

Somewhere, someone jumped.

            But Mac wasn't jumping.  In fact, he had just tripped over his foot and went crashing, with his natural grace of course, into Kaori.  And, by the law of gravity, their momentum sent them sprawling to the ground, where he rolled and she reeled, and they both ended face up and side by side, as if to inhale the ceiling.

There was a long moment of silence, either motionless except for their heavy breathing.

            "Why do they always paint ceilings that color?"  Mac asked, quoting from some recent movie he'd seen in the theaters but couldn't remember the name of.  As if she'd seen the same movie, 

            "They say taupe is very soothing." Kaori replied unblinkingly.  From the corner of her eye, she saw Mac's gaze shift, and as always his look of boyish inquisition made her giggle, helplessly holding her stomach as she rolled to her side.  His chest moved up and down lightly, and he folded his arms behind his head.

            "You're a lot more fun when you're angry, Ma-chan."  Mac automatically rolled to his side, shaking his head avidly.

            "No way yo, double-nicknames suck."

            "It doesn't suck!  Ma-chan is cute!"

            "Oh like me?"

            "Yep!" He rolled his eyes, rolled into a crouch then rolled to his feet.  Kaori made snow angels on the carpet.

            "Whatever.  Aren't you going to change?"

            "They can wait."  She bounced to her feet and started to dance again.  Mac shook his head.

            "No more complimentary provisions for you." He muttered beneath his breath.

            "Catch me!"  Kaori threw up her hands and tipped backwards.  For a second, Mac wondered what would happen if he simply let her fall.  He envisioned a sharp smack in the head and a stream of violent mumbo-jumbo, and a week of being run off of the course by an maniacal Japanese girl under influence of coffee.  It could be fun.  But before he had a choice he'd reached out and caught her from behind.

            "Watashi no HERO!"  Her hand went across her forehead in mock faint, "Carry me away, White Knight Ma-chan!"

            "It's Mac.  And I carry your butt nowhere."  Kaori pouted, crossing her arms while he supported her lithe weight.  

"Hidoi…"  She whined.  Yet it was less than two minutes later that he was dragging her off to her room.  Her feet dragged along the ground.  "Arigatou, White Night Ma-Chan!"

"Yeah, yeah.  Blah, blah, blah."  He dropped her in front of her room.

KURASHU!  Itai, zuru shinai de…

"Don't you have to get changed?"

"Oh…sleepy…"  She stared up at him with bright, inquisitive brown eyes.  Mac sighed and took the hint –she handed him her room key –and he dragged her inside, leaving her on the floor near the bed.  The room was dark, and the white snow of the Elysium Alps flickered outside.  He paused to watch the delicate snowflakes dancing on the windows.

"When I was little,"  Kaori pulled herself on top of her bed, her knees tucked into her chest, "We lived where it used to snow one week every year in winter.  I used to hate the snow, because I could never go swimming or ride my bicycle…then one year it just stopped coming, I don't know what happened.  I missed it.  I wanted to find it, so I went to the mountains when I was old enough.  And I learned how to snowboard, so I could be by the snow all the time, and never miss it again."

Mac was quiet for a long moment.  

            His own reasons for becoming a snowboarder were his own, he decided, and made a pact with himself that if he told anyone, it would be her.  He dimly realized that Kaori was staring at him.

            "You know…"  He said in a rare, introspective voice, "the snowflakes dance like you do."  She smiled.  And when he returned to his normal state he coughed quickly and turned towards the door.

            "Ma-chan."  Mac stopped and turned around.  She stood behind him, and touched his shoulder.  He swallowed slowly.

            "Yeah?"  In the dimness of the room, her smile was white.

            "PIGGY BACK RIDE!"  Flop.  Mac flapped his arms wildly and tipped back for another satisfying flop as they landed on the bed.

            "Ow…"

            "WAI!  Super Ma-chan Piggy Piggy!"

            "Mac."

            "Ma-chan."

            "Mac."

            "Ma-chan."

            "Mac."

            Against his back, Mac could feel Kaori making snow angels again.

            "No more coffee for you, Kaori."

            "Okie dokie."

Disclaimer: I own not SSX Tricky nor any of its affiliates –all this belongs to E.A. Sports.  Okie dokie?  Okie dokie.


	2. MaChan wa TOASTED! History Lesson! Brea...

History Lesson

I.

            "O-HA-YOO~!!"

Somewhere, someone slept.

            But it wasn't Kaori.  She had tickled Mac from behind his chair, laughing wildly.

Mac jumped.

Milk sprayed everywhere.

            "Hey yo, what the heck…oh, it's you."  A peculiar look flickered in his eyes.  Kaori Nishidake smiled cheerfully, taking a seat across from him.

            "Ohayo." said she again.

            "Yeah, it's a state."

Kaori blinked.

Mac blinked.

Kaori laughed.

Mac blinked.

            "What?"  She continued to giggle, covering her mouth with her unmittened hands.  Mac continued to give her a curious look.

            "What's so funny?"  Kaori howled and shook her head, trying to suppress her laughter.  

"Yeah, whatever." He shrugged irritably, pouring more milk into his cereal bowl and flipping idly through a skateboard magazine.

            Kaori's laughter died, and she leaned on her hands, watched for a moment, then spoke.

            "Are you ready for today?"

            "What's today?"

            "Test."

            "Test?"

            "History test."

Once again, milk sprayed everywhere.

            "W-What?"

            "Amerika no History Test."

Mac blinked.  It was not the first time.

            "American history?"

            "BIN-BO!" She clapped her hands.  "Ten points!"

Somewhere, someone cheered.

            But it wasn't Mac.  Kaori watched mild surprise as he let out an excruciating wail and fell, despaired, onto the table.

"I'm so toasted!"

"Oh!  Oh!  Would you like some butter?"

He gave her a hard glare.  She smiled in retaliation.

            "No worries, Ma-chan."  She stretched over to pat his head, now repeatedly banging on the table.  "American History is easy!"

            "URGHGHGAWHAAAMSMAAA." Said Mac.

            "If you study just a little, it's very easy!"

            "UGHAHAHWHAHAHAAAHAAGH." Said Mac.

            "Did you take any notes?"

Mac looked up, red-faced.  He reached into his school bag and shuffled around, laying across the table a crumpled piece of paper labeled 'The American Revolution', complete with incoherent scribbles that trailed into doodles of mountains and skateboards.

If it were at all possible, Kaori sweatdropped.

            "Did you…ano…listen to any lectures?"

            "You don't understand!" Mac suddenly wailed, caught in the drama of his moment, "When we're in class I try to listen but the mountains are all 'Yo Mac, my man, come board me!'  An' all I can see is the snow outside and it's callin' me, an' all I can think about is ridin' and railin' and trickin' an' when all that's goin' on there ain't no time for listenin', you know?"

He sat back in his chair, exasperated.

Kaori blinked.

            "I will need to take more English lesson to understand what you just said."  Mac let out a sullen wail.  Kaori blinked once more, then offered in return a determined smile.

            "I will teach you, Ma-chan."

  
Mac looked up.

            "What?"  
            "I-will-teach-you-"

            "Yeah, yeah, I heard that.  You will?"

            "Yup."  She gave a big smile.  Mac grinned.

            "Ah man, Kaori, you rock!"

            "Rock-u?"

            "It's a compliment."  
            "Wai!  I was compliment-ud by Ma-chan!"

            "Mac."

            "Ma-chan."

Mac fell into exasperated silence.

            "I win!  I win!" said Kaori.

Disclaimer: Don't own Tricky.

Notes.

…

um…

_Ohayo _means 'Good Morning' in Japanese.  It is pronounced exactly like Ohio.  High in the middle and low on both ends.

…

yeah.

Part II…should be out soon.


	3. MaChan wa Amerikajin! History Lesson! ...

History Lesson

II.

"Who was president during the America Revolution?"

"Is this a trick question?"

In the past hour, Kaori had gotten very good at standing on her head.  This, however, did not amuse Mac.  His form had slouched, and he buried his head in his hands.  No good, she thought, no good.

She dropped to her feet and knocked, quite literally, on his skull.

"Anybody home?"  He sighed.  She sighed.

"Why does anyone need to know this stuff?"

"Hmm…good question." She paused, "Who was president during the America Re-"

"I dunno…" He glanced up, studying her face, "Jefferson."

"Wrong-o!" She said, wagging her finger at his exasperated face, "Trick question."

"I knew it!" He jumped up into her face, "I get that one right."

"No, you don't.  Who was the president?"

"There _was_ no president."

"BIN-BO!" She cheered, took a five foot step back and pirouetted.  "Excellento!"

"Woo hoo!  Ten points!"

"Five, Ma-chan."

"Five?!" Mac exclaimed.  To recap, they had an hour and a half before Mr. Killinger would arrive at the hotel for class.  They sat in a private sitting room with a view to the slopes, where below, the other boarders raced.  Kaori had given up her slope time to tutor Mac.

Until that moment, he had felt guilty about spending the time she usually spent practicing.  And even though he felt grateful for her offer to tutor him, he hadn't caught anything in the past hour and she continually poked fun at him.  Five points may have been petty, but it had built for a while, and Mac felt he deserved at least that much extra.

"Five." Kaori repeated, almost firmly, but mostly playfully, "Go.  Cinco.  Cinq.  Ō."

"Ten." Mac stated, seriously.  And then, "Ten…times infinity!"

Kaori inflated her cheeks.  Mac laughed triumphantly.

         "Hah!  I win!"  
         "No winning." Said his companion, slyly, "Unless you name…three people who signed the Declaration of Independent."

         Somewhere, someone answered.  Not Mac.  In fact, Mac looked as though someone had smacked him stupid in a drive-by.

         "Umm…Franklin…Hand-cock…and Moe?"  Mac flopped into his chair, defeated.  "It's no good, Kaori.  I'm doomed to fail."  
  


For a moment or two, her expression seemed as hopeless as his.  And then, something sparked, and she smiled, patting his head.

         "Let's try again, okie dokie?"  
         "Mfhahwhah." Said Mac.

         "Eto…" Kaori thought for a moment, licked her lips, then started. "Let's see, think about Jonsu-san, Moby?"

Mac's ears pricked curiously, then he leaned back and shrugged.

         "That old guy?  Yeah, what about him?"

         "He's English-u." She stated matter-of-factly, relieved to have caught his interest.  "And Ma-chan is Amerika-jin, ne?  Remember when Moby-san offered to be your roommate when he couldn't have Zoe-senpai?"

         "Yeah…" Mac spit grumpily, "Then when I started listening to my tunes he locked me out and I slept in the hall."

         "See!  In the American Revolution, the Amerika-jins helped the English-u win a war, but then they wouldn't give them the land they fought for."  Not the whole truth, she amended privately, and looked over her shoulder for any neighboring Englishmen.

         "Those losers!" Mac exclaimed, looking genuinely interested.  Kaori nodded meekly.

         "Then-u, the English started to tax-u them for small things, like stampsu and sugar, and most importantly, on tea."  Mac nodded meditatively, and Kaori continued.

         "But it got worse.  The Boston Ma…Ma…"

         "Massacre?" Mac inquired.  Kaori blushed and nodded.

         "Hai.  The Boston Massacre killed five Amerika-jins who were teasing the English-u…kind of like how you were teasing Moby-san on Snow Dream last week then he made you crash."

         "Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah." Mac grumbled, crossing his arms but remaining focused, for the most part.

         "So to fight back the tax-su, the Amerika-jins boy-u-cotted, and made their own goods.  Demo, the big fight they made was the Boston Tea Party.  PA-TU-RI-O-TSU dressed up like Native Amerika-jins and threw all the English-u tea into Boston harbor.  It's…" She paused thoughtfully, "It's like when you…broke into Moby-san's room and buried all his clothes in the snow."

         "Oh yeah!" Mac puffed with an egotistical smile, "That prank was the bomb!"

         "The bomb?" Kaori inquired briefly.  Mac shook his head, "Go on."

         "Well…Moby-san, like the English-u, was not happy.  They passed the KO-E-RU-SHI-BU A-KU-SU…"

         "Koeru-what?"

Kaori flustered.

         "KO…KO-E-RU-SHI-BU…"

         "Ko-e-bu-bu?"  Mac grinned, and pointed to the 'Coercive Acts' with a smart-aleck smile.  She stuck her tongue out at him, and crossed her arms.

         "I win." He stated, "So admit it.  It was worth ten points."

         "Five." She snapped playfully, even vainly, "Maybe seven."

Mac shrugged, and leaned back as if to listen.  Kaori took this as her cue,

         "So, after fight after fight, the English-u sent a fleet across the ocean to defeat the Amerika-jins."

         "Fat chance." Mac smirked, now tilting his chair back on two legs.

         "But-u, the Amerika-jins prepared, which you don't do, by the way."  She said this in fairly good English, which made Mac scowl slightly.  "They sent riders, like Paul Revere, across Amerika to tell everyone-gu."

         "Like Rahzel tells the crowd on progress." Mac said affirmatively, and to his surprise, Kaori nodded.  "That's right!  The Amerika-jins and the English-u met when the English-u tried to find the ammunition holds.  They fought at RE-BU-SIN-GU and KON-KO-DA."

Somewhere, someone understood.

         But not Mac.  He looked lost, like a man who spent years looking for a light in the dark that wasn't there.  Kaori sighed and pushed the study paper to his side, where he said loudly, "OOHHH" and nodded.

         "Demo, the Amerika-jins were too out-u-numbered-u.  Their chi began to falter-u."

         "Chi?"  
         "Chi…" Kaori knocked on her own head now, "Chi…energy?  Ano…spirit-u?"  
         "Okay." Mac nodded attentively, leaning back again on the two back legs of his chair.  Kaori smiled.

         "So the Amerika-jins asked for help from the FURENSHU-"

         "ME ASK FOR HELP FROM FRENCHY?!" Mac burst out, lost his balance and fell backwards.  Flustered, he jumped up. "Not in this lifetime!"

         "Demo, demo…" Kaori shook her hands fervently, "They were out-u-numbered-u!"

         "Geez." Mac crossed his arms and sat back down, "What a bunch of losers…"

Kaori bit her lip nervously, then raised her head.

         "In turuth-u, it was the Amerika-jin's chi that won the war." She nodded.  Mac shrugged passively. "At first-u, the Amerika-jin's only wanted justice-u.  Then they wanted freedom-u."

         Meditative silence lapsed between them.  Finally, Kaori cleared her throat.

         "Saa, Ma-chan.  Where did the English-u and the Amerika-jins fight-u first-u?"  
         "RE-BU-SIN-GU and KON-KO-DA."  

He looked over, and smiled.

         "BINBO!  You are the winner!"  She smiled happily, "Ten points."  

Disclaimer: I don't own SSX Tricky.

Ah, finished with the third part of the runaway one-shot.  It's about time too.  Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this little bit of schoolin' on your time off.  It might be best not to use this as a study guide though...

--Arte


	4. MaChan wa CAPTAIN! Movie! Cranberry!

Cranberry

I.

Kaori received her paper.

Mac received his paper.

Kaori received an A.

Mac received a C-.

"Oh, Ma-chan." She twisted her fingers apologetically, "I am very sorried."

Somewhere, someone sneered.

But it wasn't Mac. He was too busy dancing victoriously out into the snow.

"Oh yeah! The MAC is back in SMACKDOWN!"

"…" said Kaori.

Mac lunged in her direction and, much like an airplane, flew circles around her. Then he lifted her up with such passion that even her slight weight proved too much and they toppled into the fresh powder, one on top of the other.

KURASHU!

Mac laughed triumphantly.

Kaori laughed because Mac laughed.

"So," she said, "you are not angry to me, Ma-chan?"

"I passed, right?"

"Ano…"

Mac sprang forward to his feet and dusted himself off happily. And then, much to Kaori's surprise, he turned and pulled her up as well.

"Let's go out. My treat."

"Trick or treat!"

Mac blinked.

"Right. Come on, let's go."

"No, no Ma-chan." Kaori waved her head back and forth candidly, "I need to get ready first…"

"Pssh! ('Pssssssh?' inquired Kaori.) If you leave to get ready then we'll never get goin'! So let's just go!"

Kaori's cheeks puffed indignantly and she looked, for a second, very much like a blowfish. Then the moment passed, and she raced him to the Sky Transport.

The Sky Transport, however, was very empty. Mac and Kaori climbed on. They sat down. The compartment began its steady descent down the mountain.

Somewhere, someone spoke.

But now, neither of them spoke. Mac stared out of the window. Kaori stared at Mac. Then she said,

"Is this…cranberry?"

Mac gave her a special look. The one he used when she said something completely and totally arbitrary to anything he had said or implied. Therefore, he used it rather often.

"What?"  
"Cranberry."

"…what?"  
"_Cranbe_"

"Yeah, yeah I heard you. What are you talkin' about?"

"You know, eto…two people go out together to see movie or eat at restaurant…?"

"Oh, a _date_!"

"Date-o?"

"Uh," Now Mac blushed, "yeah."

"Ah!" Kaori clapped her hands together, "Is this it?"

"Well, I don't…"

Mac stared at her. Then, with his sheepish half smile he shrugged, crossed his arms and leaned his head back against the cold glass window.

"Sure."

"Yatta!" Kaori cheered, "Cranberry with Ma-chan!"

"Date."

"Cranberry."

"Duh-ate."

"Ku-ran-be-ri." Kaori pinched his nose.

Mac shook his head.

"I win!" she cheered happily.

II.

The Sky Transport landed. Mac and Kaori jumped off. Literally.

"Okay! Super Captain Cranberry Ma-chan! I follow you!"

Mac looked at her, then looked down the street importantly.

"Uh, this way!"

"Okay!"

Contrary to her former statement, Kaori grabbed his arm and dragged him in the implied direction. Mac jogged to catch up with her brisk, happy pace.

"Where are we going, Ma-chan?"

"I dunno. Wanna catch a movie?"

"Catch movie!" Kaori mimicked a fishing line being cast off.

"Ho ho!" she said.

Mac took this as a yes. They walked until they found a movie theater.

"Movie! Movie! Wai! Wai!" Kaori released his arm and spun in small circles. Then she stared fixedly at the movie listings. Mac took the opportunity to pull a wad of bills from his jacket pocket.

"Okay…"

"Ah! Honto ni?! Sugoi!" Kaori, once again, grabbed Mac's arm.

"Ma-chan! Let's see that one!"

Mac looked up. Most of the titles were in French.

He blinked.

"Uh, I gues-" But before he could blink again, Kaori had ran off to the ticket booth, chatting animatedly towards the cashier.

"Kaori!" He, once more, jogged to catch up, "The lady prolly' doesn't speak Eng-"

"Peux j'avoir deux billets de film pour 'La Puissance d'Une ', sil vous plait."

"…lish."

"Bien." said the cashier.

Somewhere, someone was completely and utterly astonished.

Mac was completely and utterly astonished.

"Merci!" said Kaori.

"De rien." said the cashier.

"Okay, Ma-chan. Let's go!"

Kaori pulled him into the cinema,

"I…you…"  
"I My Me! Strawberry Eggs!"

"You speak French!" It was both a question and an obvious statement.

Kaori stopped and blinked. Then she smiled.

"Yup."

"But…" Mac stared. Then he cursed in astonishment. The moment passed.

"What are we seeing?" He asked eventually.

"**Gekij****-ban poketto monsutâ: Maboroshi no pokemon: Rugia bakutan…" she rambled. If Mac had been listening, he would have heard:******

** "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah…"**

**But**** by this time, Mac was not really listening.**

** "Hey, it was supposed to be _my_ treat."**

** "Trick or treat!" Kaori clapped her hands and spun in a very rapid circle.**

**Mac sighed.**

**Kaori sighed.**

**Kaori laughed.**

**Mac sighed again.**

** "Let me get the snacks."**

**"Okie-dokie, Ma-chan."**

**III**

**Eleven francs later.**** Mac found Kaori in the very back row of a near empty theater. He pulled the ice creams out of his pocket.**

** "What movie is this?"**

** "Poketto monsutâ…"**

**Mac blinked.**

** "Okay."**

**The theater went dark and, in the darkness, Kaori squeezed Mac's arm.**

** "Arigato, Ma-chan."**

** "Uh…" Mac swallowed, "No prob, yo."**

**An**** flurry of animation filled the screen. And then, without warning, a loud and very familiar phrase filled the theater.**

** "PIKA****CHU****!"** ****

**Mac nearly choked on his ice cream.**

** "What?"**  
** "Poketto monsutâ…eto, pokemon?"**

**Sure enough, POKEMON: THE POWER OF ONE flashed across the screen, the French subtitle trailing quickly beneath. Mac gave Kaori an incredulous look.**

** "Daijoubu ga, Ma-chan?"**

**For once, there was nothing he could say.**** Mac sat back resigned, and took a large bite of Kaori's ice cream.**

** "Nothing."** ****

**Kaori looked from him, to her ice cream, and back.**

** "You are…strange person, Ma-chan. But," she squeezed his arm again, "You are cute kiddo."**

** "I'm not a kid." He whispered.**

** "Are too."**

** "Am not."**

** "Are too."**

** "Am not."**

** "Are too."**

**He scrunched his nose and pouted in the dim light. Kaori giggled. Then, in her soft voice she said,**

** "Suki dayo, Ma-chan."**

** "What does that mean?"**

** "Hi-mi-tsu."**

** "…what does that mean?"**

** "Secret." She put her finger over her mouth. "Shh."**

****  
**Mac shook his head.**

** "Man, I don't know about you, Kaori."**

**IV.******

**Kaori and Mac left the cinema. Winter night had fallen quickly, though it was still early.**

** "Hungry?" asked Mac.**

** "Nope." said Kaori.**

**They boarded the Sky Transport.**

** "Sleepy?" asked Kaori.**

** "Nope." said Mac.**

**They walked through the snow, brightly lit by a surplus of streetlamps.**

** "Ma-chan." Kaori spun in front of him, stopping him in his tracks to face her. Silence assumed its place. Mac stared at her. She stared back. Finally, she said,**

** "Thank you very much. Cranberry was…very…sick!"**

**Kaori smiled. Mac blinked. Then he shrugged.**

** "Whatever." There, silence grew between them. Mac stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at her. Kaori repeated the gesture whilst fitting on her gloves. Then, in an instant she tipped backwards.**

** "Catch me!"**

**Mac didn't think about what would happen if he didn't, this time. He scrambled forward to support her, tripped and once again they both landed in the snow. Kaori laughed joyously. At least one of them had found it amusing. **

** Then she stood, brushing the bits of snow from her hair before offering her hands to him. He took them hesitantly, and she dragged him up from the cold, white Earth.**

** "You're a heavy kid."**

** "I'm not a kid." He spat and jabbed, with his index finger, the side of her snow jacket. Kaori let forth a very loud yelp. Mac guffawed at the reaction.**

** "You sound like a turkey!" He said.**

** "If I'm turkey, you're pig."**

**Now Mac stopped laughing, and put on a face of mock distress.**

** "Are you calling me fat?"**

**Kaori stuck her tongue out.**

**Mac returned the gesture.**

**She said,**

** "****Turkey**** and piggy out on a cranberry."******

** "Date."**

** "Cranberry."**

**Mac said,**

** "We could do this all night."**

** "Nope, I'm too sleepy." Kaori settled back into the snow, visible chills running through her lithe form. Mac stood above her, an expression of inquisition, confusion and, vaguely, amusement on the rosy features of his face.**

** "Oink! I can see up your nose."**

** "You're hopeless."**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SSX Tricky, Pokemon or anything otherwise mentioned.**

**Notes.******

**1. ****the**** whole cranberry versus date thing. Dates are…those things. Cranberries are fruits. Ha.**

**2. ****the**** currency they're using is francs versus the euro because, since this story is during SSX (2000-2001), the euro was not in use in ****France**** yet.**

**3. ****same reason above as to why they're watching Pokemon: the Power of One**

**4. ****I don't speak a lick of French. So if it's wrong…eh.**

**Surprisingly long for a chapter with absolutely no purpose. This story has…no plot. I think I should end it soon.**


	5. MaChan wa Sensei! Hormones! Bad English!

Slang.

I.

Kaori stared.

One. Two. Three.

Mac stared.

Four. Five. Six.

Mac puffed like a blowfish.

Kaori exhaled in wild laughter, holding her stomach and tipping to one side of the chair.

"HAH!" Mac exclaimed triumphantly, slapping his hands down on the table and tipping his head back so far Kaori could see the inside of his nose, "I win!"

"No fair, Ma-chan! You made funny faces!"

"All's fair in war." He said, sounding very majestic indeed. Then he added, "Sore loser."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

She stuck her tongue out.

He returned the gesture.

Then she paused.

"What is…sore loser?"

Mac blinked. Then he, in wild laughter, tipped so far to one side he tumbled out of his chair. It was Kaori, this time, who puffed like a blowfish.

"Don't laugh!" Mac tried to speak but found that his voice, amidst his chortling, would not make sense. Meanwhile, Kaori's cheeks grew so big they began to turn blue. Then she exhaled in one big breath, causing a new wave of laughter in her companion.

Once his laughing had finally died down, he said,

"They don't teach no slang in English school. Too bad."

"Then…" She leaned forward, furrowing her eyebrows, "you teach me, Ma-chan."

Somewhere, someone felt honored and proud for such a request.

Mac was not such a someone. He said nothing, and blinked. And remained silent. And blinked again.

Kaori waved her hands in front of his face.

"Ma-chan?"

She knocked on his head.

"Ma-chan?"

She crossed her arms and settled back in her chair with a huff. Finally, Mac coughed and shook his head, refocusing his gaze on her cutely offended face.

"Me? Teach you?"

"It's not so strange."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes!"

Mac smiled oddly.

"Alright."

"Wai! Ma-chan-sensei! Teach bad English!"

He straightened his sweatshirt and sat up, clearing his throat authoritatively. He wet his mouth, took a deep breath and furrowed his brow in a serious expression. Kaori's shoulders quivered with giggles at the sight of it, but she kept her mouth shut and waited.

"Well…" He paused, "Uh…"

"Uh…"

"No, not that!" He waved his hands.

"No, not thatu!" She waved her hands quickly. Mac put his elbows on the table and glared at her.

Kaori repeated the gesture.

"Ahem." He said.

"What is 'ahem'?"

"It's just…I don't know, it's just a sound English makes."

"Oh." She quickly returned to her glare, "Ahem."

Mac sighed.

"This isn't gonna work."

"It's because," Kaori's expression had changed to one of tragedy, "I'm stupid?"

"What are you saying?" He gripped, knocking on her head, "Don't say stuff like that."

"Then teaaaccchhhh meeeeeee…" She whined. Mac rolled his eyes, "Please do your best, Ma-chan!"

He stared at her.

"Fine, fine."

"Yatta!" Then she made her face serious, "I mean…sick."

Mac burst out laughing.

"What?" Kaori asked.

II.

"I gots da skillz to pay da billz."

"I gotsu da skiilz to pay da billuz."

"I pity da foo."

"I pretty da foo."

"Pity."

"Pity."

"I pity da foo."

"What's foo?"

Mac blinked.

"Huh?"

"Foo? What's foo?"

"Oh." He scratched his head, "It's really supposed to be 'fool', I guess. But 'foo' is slang."

"Kung foo!" Kaori thrust her fists into the air. Mac blinked again.

"Lame." He said.

"Lame." She repeated, "What's lame?"

"Oh you know," Mac's thoughts drifted to Moby, "Old people and stuff."

Kaori pouted.

"That's not very nice."

"It's not supposed to be. You gotta have attitude to use slang. Just go with it, you know?"

Kaori leaned back in her chair and looked around the room. All of the sudden, she stood up and pointed,

"LAME!" She shouted. Mac followed the direction of her gaze directly to an elderly man leaning on a cane.

Mac grabbed her hand and dragged her away, muttering loudly,

"Hey, what did I tell you about those brownies?" and dragged her to another area of the room.

III.

Mac watched Kaori as she bobbed up and down enthusiastically, his massive headphones almost wedging her little face in place. He could hear the music blasting through _"unpredictable it was my mistake to stay here on the go and it's way too late to play I need a girl that I can train"_.

She wet her small pink mouth. Mac found himself blushing a little bit.

When the song ended, she took the headphones off.

"Okay." She said.

"Okay." He studied the quiz he had been working on for her, and read his writing as if he were reading a script for the first time. "Hey…Kaori."

"Waz up, homes?" She answered with her chipper voice. Mac strangled down a laugh, "Uh, not much. How…about you?"

"Just playing, playa."

She clapped her hands excitedly. Mac covered his mouth, then started to read again,

"Oh. That is cool. Can I tell you a…secret?"

"Sure. Whataup, doggy?"

Mac looked up.

"It's just 'dog'."

Kaori pouted.

"But doggy is so much cuter…"

Mac sighed,

"Anyway…" He cleared his throat, "I will tell it…to you now."

Mac leaned over and whispered 'booger' in her ear. Kaori covered her mouth and started giggling wildly.

"Okay so, can you keep it quiet?"

Kaori cleared her throat and suppressed her laughter saying, in a serious voice,

"Word-u. It's on the DL, G."

"Cool. So anyway, I'm gonna go. I will see…you later."

"Peace, mai brutha." She kissed her two fingers and held them up above her head. Except it looked more like she had blown him a kiss. Mac fell out of his chair laughing. Kaori leaned over him, excited and confused.

"Did I do it okay?"

"Perfect." He strangled out. Kaori squealed with delight and flopped on the floor with him, giving Mac the first on-the-floor hug he had ever seen or received.

"Thank you, Ma-chan!"

"Yeah, whatever." He grinned, "Get offa me."

"Oh, but you're so comfy."

They looked steadily into each others eyes, each one feeling like they had something to say but, at that particular moment, they couldn't remember exactly what. Mac could feel her warm breath on his nose, her hair, tied in pigtails, brushing across his cheek. Somewhere in his mind he noticed that his arm had encircled her waist, keeping her from getting up despite what he had said. And he noticed how close they were, how very close…

And then it just sort of happened.

He got an erection.

Mac sprang up (Kaori went flying off of him) and turned around, heading briskly for the elevator without a second thought, trying to think calming thoughts.

Grandmas. Broccoli. Celine Dion. Oh, not Celine Dion. Uh…Yanni. Michael Bolton.

"Itaii…" Kaori rubbed her head, despite that she had fallen on her side, "Oh, Ma-chan. Is the lesson over?"

"Uh yeah…I hafta practice and stuff for the run tomorrow, you know." He couldn't bear to look at her.

"Oh! Oh!" She raised her hand, as if to be called on, "I'll practice with you!"

"No, I mean…nah, I'm cool. I can't let you see all my, uh, secret moves."

The elevator arrived and Mac sprang in without facing her, waving.

"Well, see ya!" And the door slid shut quickly behind him.

Kaori sat on the floor, confused and feeling slightly hurt.

When Mac got to his room, he didn't practice. He sat in bed and wondered what had just happened.

Well, he knew what had happened but he had to figure out why.

On he one hand, he was fifteen. Hormones and what not, he didn't really want to think about it. Not to mention, Kaori was pretty hot.

That brought up another question: was Kaori hot? Did he like Kaori?

Mac put his hand on his face and sighed.

Yep, he did.

Someone knocked on the door. He hesitated. If it was Kaori, he would have to play it cool.

He took a few deep breaths then got up, stood by the door and asked,

"Who is it?"

No one answered.

Finally, Mac opened the door and spied, on the floor, a disgustingly cute stuffed animal with a note, in perfect handwriting, reading: Ma-chan. Thank you for the mad slang lesson today. I hope practice went well. Do your best tomorrow! Love, Kaori.

When he read 'love', he blushed a little bit and closed the door, throwing the stuffed animal on his bed and flopping beside it.

IV.

Mac raced.

Turn, jump, trick, turn.

Kaori raced.

Trick, trick, turn, jump.

Kaori raced through the finish line.

Mac raced in right after her.

"FIRST PLACE KAORI NISHIDAKE!" The crowd thundered with applause as the other racers pulled into the lot. A reporter ran through the boarders, dragging a camera crew behind him, and thrust the microphone in her face.

"This is your first win in a while, Tricky." He said enthusiastically, "What have you got to say to all your fans?"

"Just playin' playa! Keep it real, G!" Then she did her victory dance.

All eyes turned to Mac.

He shrugged.

Disclaimer: I don't own SSX.

Aw, how sweet. Mac has hormones. Anyway, yeah.


	6. MaChan wa PUMPKIN! Advice! Chocolate!

White Day.

"So?" asked Kaori.

"So?" said Mac. He wasn't looking up.

Kaori waited a moment.

Then,

"Well?"

Mac finally met her gaze.

"Well what?"

She pouted.

"You don't remember."

"Nope." He leaned back, his chair tilting on two legs, grinning a little bit, "What'd I forget this time?"

Kaori crossed her arms.

"It's March 14."

"Ohh."

He stared.

She stared.

He blinked.

She blinked.

"So?" She asked.

"So what?" He replied.

Kaori stomped her foot.

"It's White Day!"

"What's that?" He scratched his nose, "Like a holiday or something?"

"Yes!" She stamped her foot again, "On Valentine's Day, a girl gives chocolate to a boy and on White Day, a boy gives chocolate back to that girl."

Mac blinked.

"I waited all day." She lamented tragically, flopping down in her chair, "Breakfast, lunch-o, practice…"

"Sorry?" said Mac.

Kaori glared.

"You're not."

He instinctively wanted to protest. But he couldn't deny it.

Instead, he said,

"If you wanted chocolate so bad, why didn't you just buy some?"

Which turned out to be a bad idea since Kaori shot out of her chair with all the rage of a bear in a pink skiing jacket.

"Because!" She shouted.

"Because what?" He stood up.

"I gave you chocolate on Valentine's Day!"

"So what?"

Kaori took a step back. Her mouth trembled slightly.

"Ma-chan wa…" Her whole body swelled, "You are…PUMPKIN!"

Then she stormed off.

Mac sat in stunned silence.

"Nice going, Pumpkin!" Moby called.

Mac sank angrily into his seat.

-------

Somewhere, someone conspired to apologize.

But it wasn't Mac. He was angry.

"What was her problem?"

He paced left.

"Just because she didn't get any chocolate."

He paced right.

"Women. What the hell?"

He paced left again.

Someone knocked on the door.

Mac paused.

"Who is it?"

But no one answered.

"It's prolly Kaori." He thought smugly, and opened the door. No one stood behind it, but he did find a note in her perfect handwriting:

Dear Ma-chan,

You are a super pumpkin. We are not speaking. Love, Kaori.

Mac snorted.

"She'll get over it."

----

But she didn't get over it.

She did snub him and eat with the other female borders every meal.

She did attempt to run him off the course every practice.

She did manage to place ahead of him every time they raced.

She did have the entire circuit calling him 'pumpkin'.

"Apologize already, Pumpkin." Said Elise.

----

Kaori opened the door.

"What?" she spat.

"Look," he said, "I'm sorry I forgot your stupid holiday."

Mac kicked his foot quietly.

Kaori grinned sourly.

"It's okay, Ma-chan." She said.

He looked up.

"So we're cool?" He asked.

"No."

Then she slammed the door.

----

"I don't get it." Said Mac.

"Of course you don't get it." Said Zoë, "You're a dumb kid. It's all to be expected."

Mac glared.

Zoë grinned.

"You have to make it up to her."

"No, you think?"

She smacked him in the head.

"I'm trying to help you. If you want her forgiveness, do something completely different and _think_ for a change."

"Oh yeah? Think about what?" he asked.

Zoë smacked him in the head again.

"Her feelings, Pumpkin Brain!"

----

There came a knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

But no one answered.

Mac looked outside.

A large box of chocolate, the one he had given to Kaori, sat on the floor. A note was attached:

Dear Ma-chan,

Thank you for the chocolate. I don't want it. Love, Kaori.

Mac punched the wall.

----

"You're going about it totally wrong." Said Frenchie, whom Mac distinctly remembered not asking for advice, "You must play honest wiz her."

"Whatever." Said Mac.

"Women are funny zis way, you see? They have impeccable intuition. And as long as you are denying ze way you feel, she will know. You see?"

"Whatever." Said Mac.

"If it's love, you must tell her."

"Whate-" Mac started, "Love?"

He nodded.

Mac said, "Listen, Frenchie, it's not love, okay?"

JP clucked his tongue in a way that was very French.

"Whatever."

Then he got up and left.

Mac slouched into the seat.

"At least he's not calling me Pumpkin."

The nurse appeared in the infirmary lobby.

"Pumpkin, the doctor will see you now."

----

He thought about it as he woke up.

"Just tell her."

And at breakfast.

"No way I'm talking advice from Frenchie."

And at practice.

"I gotta do something."

And at lunch.

"I'm not doing that."

And at dinner.

"I'm going outta my head. Just do it!"

And as he was walking up the hall.

"No way. I can't. I can't."

And as he ran straight into Kaori.

"Ow!" He said.

"Itai…" She said.

Their eyes met.

Kaori frowned.

"What, Pumpkin?"

Mac grumbled to his feet, offering her a hand up which she declined.

"Listen, I'm…"

"Yes?" She asked.

"Well, I…"

"Yes?" She asked.

"I'm sorry." He sputtered out.

Kaori crossed her arms. "Is that all?"

"No…yes…no…" He said.

"Well?" She asked sharply.

"Look, I'm…I'm sorry, okay? I mean…I don't blame you for being all pissy about…"

Kaori face changed.

So did Mac's thought pattern.

"I mean, I…I'm sorry that I'm so dumb all the time and that I didn't…you know, think about your feelin's and what not."

He racked his brain for something else to say.

Kaori tapped her foot.

"Sooki daa-yo," He said quickly.

Kaori blinked.

Mac blinked back.

"Suki dayo?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said.

Kaori blushed.

Mac blushed. But he had no idea why.

She must have known because she gave him a scrutinizing look. But her voice, contrary to her expression, was soft.

"Really?"

"Yeah." He said again.

Kaori smiled a little bit and nodded a little bit too.

"Okay, Ma-chan."

He waited for her to retaliate.

She didn't.

"So," he said quietly, "we're cool?"

"Yup." She grinned chipperly, rocking back and forth on her heels.

They stood in awkward silence for a few moments.

"So…" Said Mac, "What now?"

Kaori looked at him.

Then, faster than his eye could almost trace, her fingers shot out and jabbed him in the side.

"Omph!" Said Mac.

Kaori was running down the halls.

"Pumpkin Ma-chan can't catch me!"

He scrambled after her.

"I'm gonna get you so bad!"

Disclaimer. Do you honestly think I own SSX Tricky?

Hah, so in lieu of Valentine's Day I wanted to do something a little more romantic. If I do anymore for this fiction, it probably won't be so mushy-teenage-hormony. So yeah.

-Artemis


End file.
